Romney's "RNC Power Grab": What Really Happened

Determined to neuter the grassroots and head off future insurgencies like those of Barry Goldwater, Ronald Reagan, and Ron Paul, Republican party bosses have pulled off an audacious coup, high-handedly turning the GOP into a much more top-down, centralized party.

Yesterday, the Republican National Committee in Tampa adopted some rules changes that shift power from the state parties and the grassroots to the RNC and the GOP presidential nominee. Former Governor John Sununu of New Hampshire touted the new rules as providing “a strong governing framework” for the party over the next four years. But in fact the new rules should be very troubling and disappointing to conservative grassroots activists, because they move the national Republican Party away from being a decentralized, bottom-up party toward becoming a centralized, top-down party.

The Romney rules effectively disenfranchise grassroots delegates, and will thus tend to weaken and splinter the party over time. They specifically represent a blow to the Tea Party and the Ron Paul insurgency -- to "the Republican wing of the Republican party" -- to citizens who are strongly committed to economic freedom, fiscal common sense, and smaller, constitutionally limited government -- and who want to have a voice in the Grand Old Party. The new rules force these grassroots conservatives to reconsider their future within the GOP.

Party sage and long-time RNC member (and conservative activist) Morton Blackwell led a last-minute effort to stop the changes -- an effort FreedomWorks strongly supported, together with Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann. Phyllis Schlafly and RNC for Life also got involved, while Michelle Malkin, Mark Levin, and Rush Limbaugh helped sound the alarm.

But the Romney camp and RNC insiders won the day, successfully imposing their will with the help of their control of the gavels, superior knowledge of the process, and perhaps some dirty tricks. The conservative “rebels” won the moral victory, however, taking their fight to the Rules Committee and the full Convention floor and arguably winning the voice vote there to stop the rules, only to be gaveled down by Speaker John Boehner [view video from 1:08 minutes].

Yesterday’s fight offers a sobering glimpse of what life will be like for conservatives in a Romney Administration. It proves once again that sometimes we have to beat the Republicans before we can beat the Democrats.

Last Friday, August 24th, longtime GOP lawyer and Romney advisor Ben Ginsberg surprised Rules Committee members by proposing three basic changes clearly intended to head off a conservative challenge to President Romney and/or tamp down the Tea Party and Ron Paul movements in 2016.

1. Amend existing Rule 12 to hand members of the Republican National Committee, for the first time, the power to change the party's rules on the fly between national conventions. (National conventions only take place during presidential election years.) Three-fourths of RNC members must approve a proposed change for it to take effect. Note: This new rule is protected; it cannot be amended or repealed by the RNC.

Comment: This is unprecedented. It would enable top GOP officials to circumvent rules adopted by state and grassroots leaders at the National Convention. One can imagine how it might be used to shape and control the delegate-selection process to the advantage of insiders and special interests.

2. Amend existing Rule 15 to allow the presumptive presidential nominee to “disavow” duly elected delegates and force state parties to hold new elections to replace any delegate or alternate deemed unacceptable by the presumptive presidential nominee.

Comment: One can imagine the influence this change would give a presumptive nominee over any delegate that doesn’t toe the line. He could, in effect, choose the people who are to choose him. It’s not hard to imagine the temptation a campaign would feel to use this power to intimidate delegates and to reward friends, supporters, and campaign contributors. The proposal also contained a provision altering the method of allocating delegates, in order to front-load and shorten the primary calendar.

Unfortunately, the proposed change to Rule 12 passed. Thankfully, the proposed changes to Rule 15 were stopped. But a version of the “disavowal” provision did pass, touted by the insiders as a "compromise." But it's not acceptable.

Under this “compromise,” a new Rule 16 was added to stop an alleged “faithless elector” problem -- delegates who run claiming to support one candidate but then vote for another at the Convention. The new Rule 16 requires that a delegate who attempts to violate his binding pledge to a candidate under state law or state party rules shall be deemed to have resigned and the Secretary of the Convention must record the improper vote as it should have been cast based on state law or party rule. This compromise was supported by conservative stalwart James Bopp, as well as Ron Kaufman and Governor Haley Barbour of Mississippi. Blackwell opposed the compromise because it retained the Rule 12 change.

As long as the RNC can change the rules between conventions, the proposed changes to Rule 15 that we managed to stop could easily be revived at any time, without a vote at a National Convention. Since the RNC usually follows the lead of its Chairman, and the Chairman has powerful incentives to go along with an incumbent Republican President, it should be easy for Team Romney to change the party rules pretty much any time at their pleasure. This should trouble every Republican.

At a minimum, the effect of the new rules will be to empower insiders over the broad party electorate and to discourage grassroots activists from taking part in the process. The new rules will thus have a chilling effect on intra-party debate, including debate over the National Platform and, of course, on future rules changes. The “Inner Circle” has scored quite a coup.

After Ginsberg’s proposed changes were presented in the RNC Rules Committee, Blackwell circulated a letter denouncing them and vowing to resist them by means of “minority reports,” which can be offered for votes on the Convention floor and, if adopted, would have the effect of defeating the proposed changes.

Over the next four days, we worked feverishly to kill the rule changes, sending out a national call to action and urging our activists to lobby the party chairs and Rules Committee members from their state about the issue. We lit up Facebook and Twitter (using the hashtag #RNCpowergrab) and burned up phone lines with hundreds of calls. We filled up people’s voicemail inboxes. We caused an avalanche of emails. We irritated the heck out of some people. But the pressure had a decisive effect. Negotiations began on the so-called “insiders’ compromise.”

We knew we were fighting an uphill battle. Blackwell laid the groundwork for a floor fight by obtaining more than the requisite number of signers on each of the two minority reports. (Twenty-eight signatures are required.)

As the Rules Committee meeting neared, Team Romney went into high gear, working hard to peel signers off the minority reports.

When the committee finally met, Blackwell was absent, and we have conflicting reports about whether he still had the requisite number of co-signers. One report suggests he did, but that the committee basically disregarded the minority reports because he was not there to defend them.

Why was Blackwell absent? This was out of character for the veteran, battle-scarred activist. Did the insiders pull a Nixonian trick to make sure the leader of the opposition wasn’t present during the crucial meeting? Here’s how CNN explained his absence:

… [S]ome [rules] committee members suggested meddling was at play. A bus full of Virginia delegates arrived at the committee meeting -- after it had adjourned.

“The bus that was supposed to pick up the Virginia delegation arrived an hour later than it was supposed to,” explained Virginia delegate Morton Blackwell, a prime opponent of Rule 16 [a.k.a. the insiders’ compromise on delegate “disavowal”].

Blackwell continued: “And then when we went downtown, we went around the same series of blocks repeatedly – twice. And then the bus took out away from downtown, went about a mile and a half, and then did a u-turn and came back. And did another circuit, of the same place where we had been before.”

And at that point, the Virginia delegates demanded, “‘Stop the bus. And we're going to walk.' And we did.”

“They pushed us around for 45 minutes and then we missed the meeting,” Rothfeld said. “We were in the security perimeter, they pushed us out of it three separate times. They moved us around until the meeting was adjourned.”

Neither she nor the others recalling the story would say who they were directing their anger at. And none could provide proof to back up their claims.

1. Florida activist Laura Noble informed us that both of Florida's Rules Committee members, Peter Feaman and Kathleen King, were removed from the Rules Committee and replaced with Romney-appointed delegates.

2. Some Rules Committee members were physically barred from entering the room, despite having proper credentials.

3. Some delegates were told that Blackwell was trying to use the situation as an excuse to reopen a settled debate that he had lost four years ago regarding Rule 12. Not true.

4. Some delegates were told Romney personally knew nothing of the matter and it was just his overly aggressive lawyers acting beyond their authority and there was nothing to worry about, he would put a stop to it once he found out what was happening.

5. Some delegates seem to have believed that the rules fight was really just a proxy fight in the larger battle being waged between the Romney and Ron Paul camps over who would represent certain states on the convention floor. This assumption may have discouraged some Rules Committee members from supporting the minority reports.

Governor Sununu chaired the meeting. Governor Barbour strongly urged “unity” and the need for everyone to set aside “differences” to “defeat Barack Obama.”

The rules package, containing the insider’s compromise, passed by a decisive vote of 78 to 14. Unfortunately, the Rule 12 change (permitting the RNC to change the rules between conventions) remained in the package, unaltered. Which, of course, means that the Rule 15 change (giving the presumptive nominee the ability to hire and fire delegates based on their perceived loyalty) can be imposed later, without a vote.

The package then went immediately to the full Convention for approval. On the convention floor, Governor Sununu offered it as a “strong governing framework” for the party over the next four years, and with no debate or even mention of the controversy over Rule 12, Speaker Boehner then called for the ayes and noes. The crowd roared loudly, on both sides of the question. Despite the “noes” being (in this hearer’s estimate) louder than the “ayes,” Boehner hastily gaveled the matter closed, declaring: "In the opinion of the Chair, the 'ayes' have it, and the resolution is adopted."

Apparently, someone at RNC was able to predict the future, because this sentence had been helpfully written out for him in advance, and included in his teleprompter script:

Boehner's scripted announcement provoked cries from the crowd of "No!", "Boo!", "Roll call!" and "Division of the house!" [view video starting at 1:08 minutes]. But the microphones had been turned off. Boehner pretended not to hear.

Had we been able to force a roll-call vote, it would have delayed the day’s proceedings by several hours, which would have created an embarrassing logistical foul-up for Team Romney on the Convention’s first night. With the prime-time coverage and big evening speeches scheduled to begin fairly soon, our leverage would have been significant. Team Romney would have been forced to commence immediate negotiations right there on the convention floor, desperate to get their show back on track. But having foreseen the possibility of dissent, they planned to be, at the critical moment, conveniently deaf.

Soon after the disappointing outcome, FreedomWorks released the following statement from Matt Kibbe:

I believe that the Republican party has made a huge mistake by effectively disenfranchising grassroots activists who want to be a part of the party process. If the party sincerely wants the support of citizens, shutting them out of the process is not the way to do it. Sooner rather than later the Republican establishment needs to come to terms with the decentralized nature of grassroots organization circa 2012. The terms of engagement can no longer be dictated from the top-down.

The new rules strongly suggest the insiders don’t think they need the grassroots to win in 2012 -- an astounding assumption, given the critical role grassroots voters played in the historic 2010 wave election.

Despite this setback, we’re proud to have come so close to victory on such short notice and while operating under such severe disadvantages, relative to the insiders. This episode confirms just how powerful grassroots action can be in today’s world -- and we hope the party insiders are taking note of this fact.

We expect Democrats to be top-down and high-handed -- centralization of power is their governing principle, after all. But coming from Republicans, high-handedness is deeply disappointing. Republican rhetoric has always emphasized decentralization and local control -- making policy from the bottom up. And until yesterday, the GOP was in fact a mostly bottom-up party. No longer.

This isn't merely "inside baseball." If the new RNC rules had been in place forty years ago, the establishment might have been able to shut down the Reagan insurgency in 1976. Reagan might not have been able to secure the nomination in 1980.

Perhaps we should not be surprised by this turn of events? Perhaps the centralization of power in the political parties is simply a logical development in the present era -- a “progressive” era, when all institutions, under the pressure of an unlimited, centralized government, tend over time to reflect and become servants of that government?

Perhaps. But whenever an "Inner Circle" exploits its constituents' trust to entrench itself in power, we believe the appropriate recourse is always the same: expose the treachery and keep fighting. Find ways to break down the castle walls. Drive the despots out.

This develoment confirms our thesis that the reclaiming of Washington, D.C., by the American people requires siege warfare -- or, in the corporate parlance of our time, a “hostile takeover." The failed, entrenched "managers" of our nation -- including the powerful insiders who run the political parties -- will not let themselves be replaced without a fight.

1) Beginning today, the GOP will be much less representative of state parties and voters -- and much more representative of whichever interests are smart and powerful enough to dominate the RNC.

2) The conservative grassroots will now have to add “Monitoring the RNC” to their “eternal vigilance” list.

1) We should work to make sure the RNC doesn't actually change the rules on the fly. One

2) begin working from the bottom up to take the Republican party back from the centralizers.

Of course, between now and November 6th, we must focus on the elections. We must fire Barack Obama and elect a new wave of true fiscal and constitutional conservatives to the U.S. Senate to reinforce allies like Jim DeMint, Rand Paul, and Mike Lee.

But let's face it. The conservative grassroots must also decide whether and to what extent they want to remain engaged in a Republican Party whose establishment clearly does not want their input.

Dean Clancy is FreedomWorks' Legislative Counsel and Vice President, Health Care Policy

Palin could have beaten them if she decided to run.

She didn't run, none of us know why, but I'm taking what she said at face value. Between her and God and her family, it was no, it's that simple.

Those things were more important to her than the GOPe, and right now it's more important to her to get rid of the Marxist stain in the white hut than anything else politically. At the same time, we elect as many conservatives in the down races as possible.

When the time comes, right after November's election, we'll take on the GOPe once again, this is going to be a long battle:

1. Get rid of the Marxist stain.
2. Elect as many conservatives down race as possible.
3. Keep the heat back on the GOPe starting the day after the election.

That's her answer, and as usual it should be the answer of every conservative in the US.

God Bless you Eva. I had the honor of shaking hands and wishing good luck to both Mitt, Paul and their wives Ann and Janna this morning in Lakeland. They are going out there for those of us who really care about the future of this Republic. For all those that stand against us now I say, you will be defeated. Our victory will be historic with the Legislature, the Executive and God willing when Ginsburg leaves, the Judical. I thank God that even though our country has killed so many innocents since 1973 He still seems to give us a chance at redemption. The Civil wars will be fought in the State Capitals where we will see the Paulista and Code Pinksters join up again. Be prepared.

This was aimed at the Tea Party grassroots and Conservatives.

Agreed. With the advances we've made at the State level, the GOP/RINO insiders are quaking in their Italian patent leather loafers.

My own State went to Santorum in the primaries. I know, because I was one of those votes. We elected our delegates and off we went...

http://www.twincities.com/ci_21410871/republican-national-convention-proposed-rule-change-threaten-minnesotas

Or... You know... Not.

But there are enough people that are, and that’s the problem.

Totally agree, and it is what has been tearing this country apart for decades.. source? Media..

My father (A Nam vet) was warning me about this back in the '70s before I knew anything about politics or Republican/Democrat..
He told me about how we actually won VN, but Cronkite lost it for us... about how biased the Media had become... and how powerful..

So, this is a decades old problem, HOW can we fix it? (Internet has helped us get this far, but how far can we go to get the REAL history/politics) to the 'common' people? And How?

Honestly, the only way I know how to did in deeper, being that the 'common' people believe everything they see on the LSM, is by word of mouth... posters... shoving actual documents into their faces (not that they would take the time to read them.. getting lazy :\)..
What can we do? I am not sure, when the SHTF, and they start getting killed off 1-by-1 that they can even see or understand it then.. They obviously have no problem with burning books, TV, radio programs that are not aligning with their 'indoctrinations'...

BTW, I know that this isn't something you can answer... I think most of us are asking the same thing... how can we get them 'OFF OF STUPID' :^p

I am speaking more the alleged bus fiasco with Va delegates and if they were credentialed delegates that sucks. I have great respect for “process” little respect for disenfrancisement, whoever it happens to.

“My own State went to Santorum in the primaries.”

I would that MY state could claim even THAT much of an improvement.
[Welcome Comrade to the People’s Democratic Socialist Worker’s Paradise of Neuva York! Please enjoy our complimentary trampling of your stated rights that we hold are granted and removed or replaced with other so-called rights by fiat of the politburo..]

I recall that event as well.
The RNC is looking to really infuriate people with this.

The left will continue to push for all encompasing power over all media types, broadcast or internet.
SOPA was just the tip of the iceberg as was probably installed anyway by Skippy the Echolocating Wonderbat through dictatorial fiat, just like lots of other things he’s done.

How to combat it?
The truth, no matter how costly.
The RNC refuses to address it as they are afraid to be seen as ‘grumpy stodgy frumpy old men’.

.

Don't worry ... continue posting ...

the Mitt-Botts only have a single response for criticism of the "Celestial God-Child from Planet Kolob" ...

and the "truth" doesn't matter ...

Only getting Myth Romney (proclaimed by Patton@Bastogne on NBC News as a Pathological Political Liar) elected President matters ...

to make his Daddy and his Spiritual Savior (Mormon False-Prophet Joseph Smith) proud ...

.

The silver lining is that we are screwed no matter who wins the election since there is not a human solution to our- or the world’s - current situation. So when Romney fails those of us still alive can create something new.

I’m not really joking here. As much as I hate what Obama stands for, I don’t think Reagan himself could get us out of this mess. Everybody has been on hold, hoping for something positive to come from this election. But when it’s over, everyone is going to open their eyes from the dream and see where they and we are.

Oh, baloney! They had to do it to stop the Ron Paul loons who had said for months they were going to exploit the rules and take over the convention. All these Tea Party people (who aren’t Paul Libertarians) need to back down and realize what almost happened if the rules hadn’t been changed.

Nonsense. You have no idea what you're talking about. The RNC had no reason to curtail the Tea Partyers who weren't Paul delegates. Unfortunately, they couldn't go public and explain why they were changing the rules.

MSNBC was reporting and encouraging the blow by blow all day, with Paul delegates whining to them on air. Paul had his delegates convinced they could take over the convention and they started demonstrating and disrupting in the hall. It was disgusting.

Actually the Paulites were the more creative part of the stogy GOP gathering. Too bad the shallow thinkers in the dying GOP did not try to include these freedom advocates into the big GOP umbrella currently trying to capture 3rd world Hispanics, Blacks that vote D, McCain’s Freedom Fighting Al Quedians and assorted azzhat consultants like the Rovian Turdblossam that actually threaten murder of the occasional errant R candidates....that’s a fine crowd they got corralled into their bankrupt littl gathering.

You do realize we’re talking about the rule changes that will allow the RNC to frontload the primaries and the winning candidates to select delegates for future conventions and remove this from the state gop and the delegates elected to the state conventions or elected in some states by the ballot in the primary..

Yep. It was the paulbots. When they weren't giving passes to Code Pinko disrupters, they were trying to take over the convention.

It is so good that this is finally the last act for this wacko liberaltarian circus.

You are are complete f’ing moron.
You have been lowering the standards of FR threads for years.
The very fact you will disparage a full reposting without poster comment of a Dean Clancy article, is just another exemplary display of your totally clueless behavior on FR over your tenure here.

Get a freaking clue.

Do you know who Dean Clancy works for? Do you not understand where FreedomWorks developed out of in the past 4 years, and how it’s a bridge between grassroots activists and those cabals who oppose the foundational values of FR.

I don’t even like Armey and his Texas clique, but to call this article propaganda is the height of absurdity.

When conservatives are a majority of the Republican party they can change the rules to suit themselves.

When conservatives are a majority (or even close) of the party, I’ll rejoin it.

Well said. I can’t believe what the GOP-e has forced upon us w/ Willard. And no *we* did not pick him. Willard merely had more money and outlasted everyone. And lied about his oponents.

Willard makes me ill. I do NOT trust him. My only hope is that somehow, some way, he’s controlled by a R Congress. Didn’t work out so well under W...but perhaps w/ more conservatives w/ tea party philosophy...Willard can be held in check from his normal leanings. Which in my opinion...are way left.

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